A unified BIM adoption taxonomy: Conceptual development, empirical validation and application

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an innovation that is transforming practices within the Architectural, Engineering, Construction and Operation (AECO) sectors. Many studies have investigated the process of BIM adoption and diffusion and in particular, the drivers affecting adoption at different levels, ranging from individual and team through organisations and supply chains to whole market level. However, in-depth investigations of the stages of the BIM adoption process and the drivers, factors and determinants affecting such stages are still lacking. A comprehensive classification and integration of adoption drivers and factors is absent as these are disjointedly identified across disparate studies. There is also limited attention to the key terms and concepts (i.e. readiness, implementation, diffusion, adoption) in this area of study. This aim in this paper is twofold: (1) to develop and validate a Unified BIM Adoption Taxonomy (UBAT); and (2) to identify the taxonomy's constructs (i.e. three driver clusters and their 17 factors) that have influence on the first three stages of the BIM adoption process namely, awareness, interest, and decision stages, and compare their effects on each of the stages. The research uses: a systematic literature review and knowledge synthesisation to develop the taxonomy; a confirmatory factor analysis for its validation; and an ordinal logistic regression to test the effect of the UBAT's constructs on the BIM adoption process within the UK Architectural sector using a sample of 177 organisations. The paper is primarily intended to enhance the reader's understanding of the BIM adoption process and the constructs that influence its stages. The taxonomy and its sets of drivers and determinants can be used to perform various analyses of the BIM adoption process, delivering evidence and insights for decision makers within organisations and across whole market when formulating BIM diffusion strategies.

Interpretive Structural Model Based Factor Analysis of BIM Adoption in Chinese Construction Organizations

“…According to three case studies with a theoretical lens of loosely coupled systems, Papadonikolaki [34] connected intro and inter-organizational levels of BIM implementation and figured out the mechanism within the process. Ahmed and Kassem [35] constructed a unified BIM adoption taxonomy to classify adoption drivers and factors in different stages of the BIM adoption process.…”

The Barrier and Driver Factors of Building Information Modelling (BIM) Adoption in Indonesia: A Preliminary Survey

“…This section will highlight previous research related to the drivers of BIM adoption. Understanding the drivers and process of BIM adoption is a very important part of adopters and policy makers at broad organizational and market levels [23]. [20] tested empirical factors that could potentially facilitate BIM adoption by architects through an extension of the technology acceptance model (TAM) theory.…”

“…When people are not afraid of the complexity of a technology, this will increase the effectiveness of BIM adoption [18]. Intention includes business interest in BIM innovation [23]. According to comments from BIM experts in Indonesia during the preliminary survey in this study that actually only needed in a matter of months to be able to implement BIM if there was intention.…”

“…Lack of information is a common problem in traditional methods where volume is calculated from 2D or 3D Computer-aided design (CAD) images. Visualization of design effects, supporting characteristics and features, information sharing ability is a derivative of technological factors as a driver of BIM adoption [23].…”

“…"Organizational culture" was ranked as the third place of driver factor with mean value 4.27 and 1.01 as standard deviation. The organisational culture brings adoption determinants such as the willingness to restructure or reengineer processes, adaptability to market, the corporate management style, the learning and growth perspective, the openness of discussions, and the availability of support for individual and group during the transition [23]. New roles and relationships within the projects teams are emerging.…”